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Stainless Steel

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Your Professional Stainless Steel Supplier

Hormann (Jinan) Metal Co. Ltd. was a company specializing in the professional production of various specifications and models of steel, research and development, design, production, sales, and service. Our products include galvanized steel, seamless steel pipe, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, copper alloy, black iron sheet, stainless rebar, and prepainted steel coil.

 

Why Choose Us
 

Wide Range of Applications
Our products are used in the construction industry, automotive industry, shipbuilding industry, chemical industry, metallurgical industry, aerospace industry, etc.

 

Broad Market

Our products are sold to the global market, mainly in the Middle Eastern countries, North America, Australia, and other regions, and have won unanimous praise.

 

Professional Advanced Equipment
We have a series of equipment specializing in the production of steel, including steel plate pretreatment equipment, steel plate leveling equipment, cutting machines, cold processing equipment, assembly equipment, welding equipment, correction equipment, painting equipment, lifting equipment, transportation equipment.

 

Leading Service
Professional engineers can provide consultation on sprocket expertise and professional advice on product selection, design, installation, and maintenance.

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Definition of Stainless Steel

Stainless steel, is an alloy of iron that is resistant to rusting and corrosion. It contains at least 10.5% chromium and usually nickel, and may also contain other elements, such as carbon, to obtain the desired properties. Stainless steel's resistance to corrosion results from the chromium, which forms a passive film that can protect the material and self-heal in the presence of oxygen. Stainless steel can be rolled into sheets, plates, bars, wire, and tubing.

 

What are Advantages of Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel Angle Lintel
ASTM A240 Stainless Steel Sheet
Stainless Steel Angle Lintel
Stainless Steel Solid Bar

Corrosion Resistance
Chromium is the alloying element that imparts to Stainless Steel their corrosion-resistant qualities. Lower alloyed grades resist corrosion in atmospheric and pure water environments; high-alloyed grades can resist corrosion in most acids, alkaline solutions, and chlorine bearing environments making their properties useful in process plants.

Fire and Heat Resistance
Special high chromium and nickel-alloyed grades resist scaling and retain high strength at high temperatures. Stainless Steel is used extensively in heat exchangers, super-heaters, boilers, feedwater heaters, valves, and mainstream lines as well as aircraft and aerospace applications. Stainless steel has a high melting point, which means it can withstand elevated temperatures without melting or deforming. (The specific melting point depends on the alloy composition)

Hygiene
Stainless steel tubing has a smooth, non-porous surface that is easy to clean and maintain. It is commonly used in critical applications such as food and beverage processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, biotechnology, medical devices, and cleanroom environments. Its corrosion resistance further enhances its longevity, making it an essential component in industries where hygiene, precision, and sterility are non-negotiable.

Aesthetic Appearance
The bright easily maintained surface of stainless steel provides a modern and attractive appearance. The availability of various finishes, including brushed, polished, and satin, provides designers with versatility to achieve specific aesthetic effects, ensuring stainless steel tubing’s enduring appeal in a wide range of applications.

Strength-to-Weight Advantage
The work-hardening property of austenitic grades results in a significant strengthening of the material from cold-working alone, and the high strength duplex grades, allow reduced material thickness over conventional grades yielding considerable cost savings. The high strength of stainless steel tubing allows engineers and designers to create robust and durable structures and components while minimizing overall weight.

Ease of Fabrication
Stainless steel has excellent formability and machinability. Its versatility allows for various fabrication methods, including cutting, welding, bending, and forming, making it a preferred material in many industries for creating a wide range of products and structures. It is indispensable in medical applications, where precision, hygiene, and longevity are paramount.

Impact Resistance
The austenitic microstructure of the 300 series provides high toughness at elevated temperatures ranging far below freezing, making these steels particularly suited to cryogenic applications. Thicker-walled tubing tends to exhibit greater resistance to impact, especially when designed to efficiently distribute stress. This is important for applications where the material needs to withstand forces and shocks without failing or deforming, ensuring the overall reliability and durability of the system.

Long-Term Value
In considering total cost, it is appropriate to consider material and production cost AND the life cycle cost. When the total life cycle costs are considered, stainless is often the least expensive material option. The cost-saving benefit of a maintenance-free product having a long life expectancy. It has a longer lifespan compared to carbon steel, which can corrode and degrade more rapidly under certain conditions.

100% Recyclable
Over 50% of new stainless comes from old remelted stainless steel scrap, thereby completing the full life cycle. Recycling stainless steel reduces the demand for new materials, conserves energy and minimizes environmental impacts of mining and production. Because stainless steel is non-corrosive and durable, it can be recycled repeatedly without losing its inherent properties.

 

What are Features of Stainless Steel

 

 

Aesthetics
Stainless steel has a great variety of surface finishes, from matt to bright and including brushed and engraved. It can be embossed or tinted, making stainless a unique and aesthetic material. It is often used by architects for building envelopes, interior design and street furniture.

Mechanical Properties
Compared to other materials, stainless steel has strong mechanical properties at ambient temperatures – it is steel after all! In particular, it combines ductility, elasticity and hardness, enabling it to be used in difficult metal forming modes (deep stamping, flat bending, extrusion, etc.) while offering resistance to heavy wear (friction, abrasion, impact, elasticity, etc.). Furthermore, it offers good mechanical behaviour at both low and high temperatures.

Resistance to Fire
Stainless steel has the best fire resistance of all metallic materials when used in structural applications, having a critical temperature above 800°C. Stainless steel is ranked A2s1d0 for fire resistance with no toxic fume emissivity.

Corrosion Resistance
With a minimum chromium content of 10.5%, stainless steel is continuously protected by a passive layer of chromium oxide that forms naturally on the surface through the reaction of the chromium with oxygen from air or water. If the surface is scratched, it regenerates itself. This particularity give stainless steels their corrosion resistance.

Cleanability
Stainless steel items are easy to clean, usual cleaning products (detergents, soap powders) are sufficient and do not damage the surface. Stainless steel fully meets the requirements of decoration and cooking utensils that require frequent and effective washing.

Recycling
Stainless steel is the “green material” par excellence and is infinitely recyclable. Within the construction sector, its actual recovery rate is close to 100%. It is environmentally neutral and inert when in contact with elements such as water and it does not leach compounds that might modify their composition. These qualities make stainless steel ideally suited to building applications exposed to adverse weather, such as roofs, facades, rainwater recovery systems and domestic water pipes. Stainless steel’s longevity fulfils the requirements of sustainable construction, and effective erection, installation and low maintenance guarantee the user an unrivalled service life.

 

Common Types of Stainless Steel

 

Spiral Welded Carbon Steel Pipe

 

01

Ferritic

Ferritic steels are the 400 Grade stainless steels noted for their high chromium content, which can range from 10.5% to 27%. They have magnetic properties, too, offers good ductility, tensile-property stability, and resistance to corrosion, thermal fatigue, and stress-corrosion cracking.

Spiral Welded Carbon Steel Pipe

 

02

Austenitic

Perhaps the most common category of stainless steel, austenitic grade steels are high in chromium, with varying amounts of nickel, manganese, nitrogen, and some carbon. Austenitic steels are divided into the 300 series and 200 series subcategories, which are determined by which alloys are used. The austenitic structure of the 300 series is distinguished via the addition of nickel. The 200 series primarily uses the addition of manganese and nitrogen. Grade 304 is the most common stainless steel.

Q235B Spiral Welded Pipe

 

03

Martensitic

Martensitic stainless steels are in the 400 Grade series of stainless steels. They have a low to high carbon content, and contain 12% to 15% chromium and up to 1% molybdenum. It’s used whenever corrosion resistance and-or oxidation resistance are required along with either high strength at low temperatures or creep resistance at elevated temperatures. Martensitic steels are also magnetic and possess relatively high ductility and toughness, which make them easier to form.

310S Stainless Steel Round Tube

 

04

Duplex

As the name implies, duplex stainless steels possess a mixed microstructure of ferrite and austenite. The chromium and molybdenum content is high, with 22% to 25%, and up to 5%, respectively, with very low nickel content. The duplex structure gives the stainless steel many desirable properties. For starters, it offers double the strength of ordinary austenitic or ferritic stainless steels, with excellent corrosion resistance and toughness.

 

 

Applications of Stainless Steel

Automotive Industry
Catalytic converters, exhaust systems, and structural purposes. Steel helps to reduce long-term maintenance costs, lifetime value and environmental impact.

Construction Industry
Facades, cladding and roofing. Stainless steel is known for its anti-vandalism properties and is popular for public equipment like ticket machines.

Mining & Materials

Stainless steel has played a part in many large-scale projects, with improved tools and better facilities for workers to live in.

Railway Industry

Stainless steel is corrosion-resistant and offers excellent mechanical properties, which is ideal for the railway industry. Austenitic stainless steel has been used for carriages, and ferritic stainless steel is used for freight wagons.

Oil And Gas Industries

Stainless tanks, pipes, pumps and valves. The oil and gas industry relies on steel due to its corrosion-resistant properties.

 

Process of Stainless Steel
 
 
Melting

Manufacturing stainless steel starts with melting scrap metals and additives in an electric arc furnace (EAF). Using high-power electrodes, the EAF heats the metals over the course of many hours to create a molten, fluid mixture.
As stainless steel is 100% recyclable, many stainless orders contain as much as 60% recycled steel. This helps to not only control costs but reduce environmental impact.
Exact temperatures will vary based on the grade of steel created.

 
Removing Carbon Content

Carbon helps to increase the hardness and strength of iron. However, too much carbon can create problems—such as carbide precipitation during welding.
Before casting molten stainless steel, calibration and reduction of carbon content to the proper level is essential.
There are two ways foundries control carbon content.
The first is through Argon Oxygen Decarburization (AOD). Injecting an argon gas mixture into the molten steel reduces carbon content with minimal loss of other essential elements.
The other method used is Vacuum Oxygen Decarburization (VOD). In this method, molten steel is transferred to another chamber where oxygen is injected into the steel while heat is applied. A vacuum then removes vented gases from the chamber, further reducing carbon content.
Both methods offer precise control of carbon content to ensure a proper mixture and exact characteristics in the final stainless steel product.

 
Tuning

After reducing carbon, a final balancing and homogenization of temperature and chemistry occurs. This ensures that the metal meets requirements for its intended grade and that the steel’s composition is consistent throughout the batch.
Samples are tested and analyzed. Adjustments are then made until the mixture meets the required standard.

 
Forming or Casting

With the molten steel created, the foundry must now create the primitive shape used to cool and work the steel. The exact shape and dimensions will depend on the final product.
Common shapes include:
Blooms, Billets, Slabs, Rods, Tubes.
Forms are then marked with an identifier to track the batch through the various processes to follow.
From here steps will differ depending on the intended grade and final product or function. Slabs become plates, strips and sheets. Blooms and billets become bars and wires.
Depending on the grade or format ordered, a steel might go through some of these steps multiple times to create the desired appearance or characteristics.

 

 

How Do You Maintain Stainless Steel
 

Don’t Use Abrasives on Stainless Steel
Never use abrasive pads, sandpaper, steel wool, metal brushes, or any harsh abrasive cleaners on your stainless steel. Some soft abrasives may work when used in extremely specific scenarios, but always do a spot test and allow the material to dry before moving on to cleaning large areas.

 

Use Appropriate Safety Equipment
Safety glasses or goggles, aprons, gloves, and other equipment will keep workers safe when handling any acid or corrosive cleaners. If you’re using an electrolytic weld cleaner to clean discoloration and protect the surface, you’ll be able to reduce the amount of safety equipment you need to wear.

 

Clean in a Ventilated and Safe Environment
Always clean stainless steel components in a well-ventilated area and avoid splashing any chemicals on other surfaces.

 

Always Add Water to Acid, Not Acid to Water
If you have to use any type of acid when cleaning stainless steel components, always add the water slowly and carefully to the acid to avoid any splashing. Read the safety information before handling any acid to ensure that you are following all of the manufacturer’s instructions.

 

Follow the Procedures
Even if you have used cleaning products before, always double-check the procedures to ensure you don’t miss a step. Not all cleaning products are the same, and different cleaning products require different clean-up and handling procedures.

 

How to Clean a Stainless Steel
 
 

Wipe the Surface
Depending on the appliance you are cleaning, remove any items that could get in the way (such as magnets or suction-cup hangers). Put on the rubber gloves. Dampen a microfiber cloth in warm water and wipe the stainless steel to wet it. We found that starting with a wet surface made it easiest to work with the dish soap.
Next, dampen a second microfiber cloth and add a drop or two of dish soap (less is more here). Slowly begin to wipe down the appliance. You may need to periodically dampen the cloth and add a bit more soap depending on the surface area of the appliance and how dirty it is.

 
 

Tackle Stubborn Stains
Most stains will lift easily with the dish soap solution and vigorous rubbing with a cloth. But some stains can be pretty stubborn (particularly in the kitchen); for these, we recommend using a gentle, scrubbing dish sponge with the same combination of dish soap and warm water. For particularly challenging stains, you may need to alternate between scrubbing in a circular motion and rubbing up and down.

 
 

Rinse (and Rinse Some More)
It can be tricky—and messy—to fully wipe off soapy residue. Some people avoid this by making a solution of water and dish soap, but that’s really not necessary for cleaning stainless steel. We tried a few methods and discovered that a complete rinse comes down to two things: limiting how much dish soap you use and keeping a wet, soap-free cloth on hand throughout the process.
As you wipe off the soapy residue with your wet, soap-free cloth, be sure to occasionally rinse the cloth thoroughly in clear water so you don’t continue to redistribute the soap. You will know you are done when you no longer see any suds—just a wet surface.

 
 

Dry It Down
With the third microfiber cloth, dry the stainless steel. The easiest way to avoid streaks is to manually dry the entire appliance rather than letting it air-dry. But if you don’t have time to dry the appliance by hand, you can avoid streaks by taking care to wipe it evenly as you clean it.

 

 

 

Our Certificate
 

 

Our professional quality inspectors will conduct a quality inspection on each batch of products. Furthermore, authoritative test reports are also available.

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Our Service

Customers can choose any length or other requirements, order or purchase various steel products or request special specifications.
Adjusting for the temporary lack of specifications in this library, saving you the trouble of rushing to buy.
Our transport service, which can be delivered directly to your designated place.
For the sold materials, we are responsible for the overall quality tracking, in order for you to eliminate worries.

DX51D+Z Galvanized Steel Coil

 

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Our Factory

One-stop service helps you choose products suitable for your market and budget, save time, and achieve win-win cooperation.

 

 
Contact Us
Email
nancy@cn-hormann.com
Address
No. 2687 Ziwei Road, University Science Park, Changqing District, Jinan City, Shandong Province Room 1015, Area A, 10th Floor, Building A, West Innovation Park, Jinan
Phone
+8618769555682
+8613153828686

 

Frequently Asked Questions
 

Q: What Is Stainless Steel?

A: Stainless steel is an iron and chromium alloy.
While stainless must contain at least 10.5% chromium, the exact components and ratios will vary based on the grade requested and the intended use of the steel.
Other common additives include:
  • Nickel, Carbon, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nitrogen, Sulfur, Copper, Silicon.
  • The exact composition of an alloy is strictly measured and assessed throughout the alloying process to ensure the steel exhibits the required qualities.
  • The common reasons to add other metals and gasses to a stainless steel alloy include:
  • Increased corrosion resistance.
  • High temperature resistance.
  • Low temperature resistance.
  • Improved strength.
  • Improved weldability.
  • Improved formability.
  • Controlling magnetism.
  • What’s in your stainless steel isn’t the only factor in determining its unique characteristics however.
  • How it’s made will further alter the steel’s properties.

Q: What are the steps required to make Stainless Steel into other shapes?

A: Hot Rolling
Performed at temperatures higher than the recrystallization temperature of the steel, this step helps to set the rough physical dimensions of the steel. Precise temperature control throughout the process keeps the steel soft enough to work without altering the structure.
The process uses repeated passes to adjust the dimensions of the steel slowly. In most cases, this will involve rolling through multiple mills over time to achieve the desired thickness.
Cold Rolling
Often used when precision is required, cold rolling occurs below the recrystallization temperature of the steel. Multiple supported rollers are used to shape the steel. This process creates a more attractive, uniform finish.
However, it can also deform the steel’s structure and often requires heat treatment to recrystallize the steel to its original microstructure.
Annealing
After rolling, most steel undergoes an annealing process. This involves controlled heating and cooling cycles. These cycles help to soften steel and relieve internal stress.
The exact temperatures and times involved will depend on the grade of steel, with both heating and cooling rates impacting the final product.
Descaling or Pickling
As steel is worked through the various steps, it often accumulates scale on the surface.
This accumulation isn’t simply unattractive. It can also impact the stain-resistance, durability and weldability of the steel. Removing this scale is essential to creating the oxide barrier that gives stainless it’s characteristic corrosion and stain resistance.
Descaling or pickling removes this scale using either acid baths (known as acid pickling) or through controlled heating and cooling in an oxygen free environment.
Depending on the final product, the metal might return to rolling or extruding for further processing. This is followed by repeated annealing phases until achieving the desired properties.
Cutting
Once the steel is worked and ready, the batch is cut to fit order requirements.
The most common methods are mechanical methods, such as cutting with guillotine knives, circular knives, high-speed blades or punching with dies.
However, for complex shapes, flame cutting or plasma jet cutting may be used as well.
The best option will depend on both the grade of steel requested and the desired shape of the delivered product.
Finishing
Stainless steel is available in a variety of finishes from matte to mirror. Finishing is one of the last steps involved in the manufacturing process. Common techniques include acid or sand etching, sand blasting, belt grinding, belt buffing and belt polishing.
At this point, the steel is gathered in its final form and readied for shipping to the customer. Rolls and coils are common ways to both store and ship large quantities of stainless for use in other manufacturing processes. However, the final form will depend on the type of steel required and other factors specific to the order.

Q: What types can Stainless Steel be divided into?

A: “Stainless” steel is actually a generic term referring to a variety of steel types. Like all other kinds of steel, stainless steel is made primarily from iron and carbon in a two-step process. What makes stainless steel different is the addition of chromium (Cr) and other alloying elements such as nickel (Ni) to create a corrosion-resistant product.
Steel corrodes because iron, the metal used to make steel, occurs in nature in combination with other elements. When iron ore is artificially manipulated into a pure form to make steel, it becomes unstable and will readily recombine with oxygen.
When chromium is added to steel, it forms chromium oxide, which acts as a protective surface to prevent air and moisture from causing rust, as happens with ordinary steel. Chromium is added in quantities ranging from 10.5 to 30%, depending on the application or environment in which the steel is to be used. There are more than 100 different grades of stainless steel but they can be grouped into five major types:
  • Austenitic is the most widely used type of stainless steel. It has excellent corrosion and heat resistance with good mechanical properties over a wide range of temperatures. Austenitic steel is used in housewares, industrial piping and vessels, construction, and architectural facades.
  • Ferritic stainless steel has similar properties to mild steel (the most common steel), but better corrosion, heat, and cracking resistance. Ferritic steel is commonly used in washing machines, boilers and indoor architecture.
  • Martensitic stainless steel is very hard and strong, though it is not as resistant to corrosion as austenitic or ferritic grades. It contains approximately 13% chromium and is used to make knives and turbine blades.
  • Duplex stainless steel is a composite of austenitic and ferritic steels, making it both strong and flexible. Duplex steels are used in the paper, pulp, shipbuilding, and petrochemical industries. Newer duplex grades are being developed for a broader range of applications.
  • Martensitic or semi-austenitic steels can also be classified as precipitation hardening stainless steels. These steels are made to be extremely strong with the addition of elements such as aluminum, copper and niobium.

Q: Why is Stainless Steel So Popular in Manufacturing?

A: So, what makes stainless steel so great as opposed to other metals? Well, everything. It is more corrosion resistant (doesn’t rust), has higher heat and oxidation resistance than other metals, and has higher strength at both room and high temperatures than alternative options. In addition to these characteristics, the unique properties of stainless steel, its appearance, and its low need for maintenance all make it a strong choice for many applications.
Let’s investigate corrosion resistance a little more though. Why does stainless steel not rust? The short answer: Chromium. Iron, being the base metal in most stainless steel, usually rusts relatively quickly when exposed to oxygen on its lonesome. What separates stainless from carbon steel or other types of steel, is the chromium oxide layer that is added to this base metal. This layer works to form a passive film which greatly increases the corrosion resistance and, in turn, minimizes rust. As one might guess, increasing the amount of chromium increases the resistance to corrosion.

Q: Which Stainless Steel Grade Is Best For Formability?

A: If one would look for an alloy with better formability they would look for a grade with increased Nickel, Copper, and Manganese content such as 305 Stainless Steel Wire. Typical 305 Stainless Steel applications include:
  • Medical Parts Manufacturing.
  • Surgical Parts.
  • Bellows.
  • Deep drawn parts.

Q: Which Stainless Steel Grade Is Best For Weldability?

A: While looking for the alloy with better weldability, we could look for an option with increased titanium or niobium content, such as 316L Stainless Steel. Typical 316L Stainless Steel applications include:
Chemical Screens, Oil Refineries, Flexible Metal Hose, Marine Applications, Textile Industry parts.

Q: Which Stainless Steel Grade Provides Increased Strength?

A: Another common characteristic manufacturers look for during part making is material with increased strength. This is achieved with stainless steel by adding Carbon, Nitrogen and/or Vanadium to the stainless alloy. 440 Stainless Steel has a higher carbon content than most stainless options and is, therefore, one of the stronger alloys we have available. Typical 444 Stainless Steel applications include:
Cutlery, Scissors, Surgical Instruments, Firearms.

Q: Which Stainless Steel Alloy Has Great Oxidation Resistance?

A: Oxidation resistance is yet another popular characteristic part makers look for in their metal needs. Oxidation resistance is an unusual one, in that it is achieved in stainless steel by increasing the Silicon and/or Aluminum content. 321 Stainless Steel is a popular choice for many reasons, but its’ higher Silicon content does result in better resistance to oxidation. Typical application of 321 Stainless Steel include:
Exhaust stacks and manifolds, Jet engine parts, Fasteners, Aircraft collector rings, Tubing.

Q: What Is Stainless Steel Made Of?

A: Stainless steels are made of alloying elements such as: chromium, nickel, molybdenum, and titanium to achieve specific properties like improved corrosion resistance, higher tensile strength, or improved ductility/malleability. The exact composition of stainless steel is a wide-ranging topic, with small changes in constituent metals potentially making significant adjustments in properties.

Q: How Is Stainless Steel Made?

A: Stainless steel is manufactured by a range of smelting methods that are typical of most metallurgical processing. Three of the common processes are listed below:
An electric arc furnace uses a high current flowing between two carbon electrodes to heat the raw materials. Alloying elements of scrap and pre-made steel, chromium, etc. are added to the furnace crucible, along with iron ore and the necessary additions to refining this component, to create the stainless steel alloy. Melting and refinement occur in the furnace and the impurities float off as slag/clinker.
Blast furnaces melt iron ore mixed with coke in the crucible, blowing oxygen through the molten iron to remove impurities that float off as slag. Once the ore has been purified, chromium and other alloying elements are added to the molten metal to create the stainless steel alloy.
Vacuum induction melting and vacuum arc melting produce very high-purity metals, from already refined source materials (i.e., no ore is added). This process allows for more precision in the control of the composition of stainless steel alloys.
Once the stainless steel has been melted and refined, it will generally be rough cast into billets. These billets are then formed into various shapes and sizes using a range of manufacturing processes, including:
  • The casting of stainless steel involves molten metal being poured into a cast cavity, to which it conforms and the cast retains the cavity shape when cooled.
  • Rolling of stainless steel sees the raw billets pass through a series of precise pinch rollers, to reduce their thickness and shape the steel into sheets or other forms. This process can be performed hot or cold, to produce a variety of final materials of diverse strengths and crystalline structures.
  • The forging of stainless steel requires it to be heated and then shaped by hammering or pressing it into the desired form.
  • Machining stainless steel enables it to be cut and shaped using various machines, such as lathes and mills.
  • After the stainless steel has been formed into its final shape, it may undergo additional processing to improve its properties, such as heat treatment, polishing, or coating.

Q: What Are the Characteristics of Stainless Steel?

A: Some of the characteristics of stainless steel include:
  • Generally highly resistant to corrosion. 
  • Strong and durable—resistant to bending, cracking, and breaking.
  • Non-porous and non-reactive—easy to clean and autoclave.
  • Can achieve a range of quality finishes.
  • Can withstand high temperatures without degrading.
  • Suitable for use at cryogenic temperatures.
  • Sustainable materials, in that they are 100% recyclable without loss or degradation.

Q: What Is the Color of Stainless Steel?

A: Stainless steels are naturally a uniform silver in color, although various companies offer proprietary “stainless coloring” processes that are analogous to anodizing. A range of bronze to golden colors can be achieved by heating stainless steel in an oven to around 700 °C in an oxygen atmosphere. This will result in the formation of iron oxides in the surface film, which will stain with shades of yellow, gold, and brown depending on temperature and time. Stainless steel will also develop hues of blue when heated to 250 °C in air, also by an oxidation process.

Q: What are the common applications of Stainless Steel in real life?

A: Stainless Steel was realised that the material had many more valuable properties which make it suitable for a vast range of diverse uses. In fact, the number of uses to which stainless steel can be put are almost limitless, a point which can be illustrated with just a few examples:
  • In the home:
  • Cutlery, dishes and other tableware.
  • Kitchen sinks.
  • Pans and cookware.
  • Ovens and barbeques.
  • Garden equipment and furniture.
  • In the town:
  • Bus shelters, telephone booths and other street furniture.
  • Building facades.
  • Lifts and escalators.
  • Subway trains and station infrastructure.
  • In industry:
  • Equipment for the manufacture of food products and pharmaceuticals.
  • Plant for the treatment of potable and waste water..
  • Chemical and petro-chemical plant.
  • Components for automotive and aero engines.
  • Fuel and chemical tankers.

Q: Why Use Stainless Steel?

A: One of the main reasons why people choose to use stainless steel is because of its advantages and physical properties, the most popular is its corrosion resistance although there are many more.
  • The fact that it has such a resistance to high and low temperatures means that stainless steel can be used for a number of applications and throughout a number of industries. Whilst some stainless steel will retain high strength at high temperatures other stainless steels will actually maintain high mechanical properties at cryogenic temperatures.
  • A major reason that stainless steel is used is because of its sheer strength. This has been proven through its use in the building and construction industry. The aesthetic appeal which stainless steel has makes it a popular choice for many. Stainless steel is available in a range of surface finishes and the fact that it can also be polished makes it aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
  • Its long life cycle makes it perfect for use in buildings and puts it ahead of other products in the fact that it will outlast many of them. When you add in that stainless steel is easy to maintain and put these reasons together overall it is the lowest cost choice for many in a life cycle cost comparison.
  • As it is an environmentally friendly material because it is 100% recyclable any new stainless steel normally contains around 50-80% recycled material. Stainless steel is undoubtedly a valuable material which has many uses within a whole range of industries and without it we would have to use other materials which wouldn’t be as effective.

Q: How to clean Stainless Steel?

A: There are many ways to clean stainless steel, however, as with all metals it is important to begin with the least abrasive and work through the techniques in response to the level of staining or damage that needs treating. With stainless steel it is important to avoid the use of harsh abrasives as it can be easily damaged or dulled by using scouring pads and cloths, or cleaning creams and powders. Vinegar, household dishwashing liquid and baking soda can be mixed with warm water and applied using a microfibre cloth in the direction of the metal grain, then dried and finished with a mineral oil to bring back the lustre. Proprietary stainless-steel cleaners are available commercially, it is always advisable to patch test in an inconspicuous area to check for potential damaging effects before placing over a large area.

Q: What are the advantages of Stainless Steel?

A: CLEANLINESS
Steel is easy to clean, which is why it’s popular in the medical and food industries who adhere to strict food hygiene standards. It’s impact resistance means little crevices or dents can’t appear in the steel, meaning dirt and germs have nowhere to hide.
DURABILITY
Stainless steel is a durable alloy; its strength and corrosion-resistant characteristics make it a popular choice for businesses from various industries. It also has high-temperature resistance and takes impact to its structure well. If you maintain stainless steel (which isn’t too difficult), you can count on it lasting a long time.
CORROSION RESISTANCE
The main reason stainless steel was developed was to combat corrosion in regular steel, be it rust-based or other types of corrosion. However, certain environments can be damaging, so it’s important to consult with a specialist beforehand.
HOLDS VALUE
Because it doesn’t damage or corrode quickly, stainless steel can hold its value over a long period. If you’re using steel as an interim, you can resell it on and recoup some of the money you paid for it.
COST
The initial cost of stainless steel can be higher than other metals like aluminium. However, if the resale value stays high, you can recoup some of the cost if you do sell.
DIRT
While steel is easy to clean, it is a magnet for dirt and dust, so it’ll need to be cleaned regularly.

Q: What grades of Stainless Steel are there?

A: Series 100 Steel.
Series 200 Steel – Austenitic chromium-nickel-manganese alloys.
Series 300 Steel – Austenitic chromium-nickel alloys.
Series 400 Steel – Ferritic and martensitic chromium alloys.
Series 500 Steel – Heat-resisting chromium alloys.
Series 600 Steel – Created for proprietary alloys (which are no longer graded by the SAE).
Series 900 Steel – Austenitic chromium-molybdenum alloys.

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ASTM Stainless Steel Elbow, Stainless Steel Capillary Tubes, Stainless Steel Corner Profile